1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to weapon telescope mounts. More particularly, this invention relates to a reversible weapon telescope mount for use with a variety of different models of rifles, submachine guns and machine guns and whose use does not necessitate the employment of other attachment elements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Weapon telescope mounts, and those specifically used for rifles, submachine guns and machine guns, are well known in the prior art. Hunters, marksman as well as soldiers throughout the world use telescopes (“scopes”) regularly as part of their rifle, submachine gun or machine gun system. A weapon telescope assists a shooter by zeroing in the aim of the weapon on a target which is at a distance outside the operable, visual range of the human eye. Usually, a set of cross hairs or an electronic pin-pointing mechanism is enclosed within the telescope which allows the shooter to place a bullet on the exact spot of the target that he desires. Ideally, the cross-hairs of a scope indicate where the bullet will land. Hence, it is important that the scope be stably mounted to the gun. Weapon telescope mounts can accomplish this task.
There are a bevy of different styles of scope mounts known in the prior art. The weapon to be used typically dictates the style of scope mount that must be employed. Nowhere in the prior art does a single universal scope mount exist. This is due to the multitude of different weapons that exist. All of these different weapons have alternating styles of configuration. The only thing common to most weapon scope mounts is that the mount typically attaches to a top portion of a weapon receiver and all mounts support the scope in a rigid manner in axial alignment with an open end of the weapon barrel. The weapon receiver is that portion of a gun that receives and retains a bullet for firing by the trigger mechanism through the barrel.
Often, a particular manufacturer will construct many different models of rifles, submachine guns and machine guns. These different models, however, may have similar configurations for certain parts of the gun, such as, the receiver. This permits the manufacturer to offer different calibers of weapons having different features, but which are all designed around a common configuration. For instance, a manufacturer may offer a semi-automatic weapon in a particular caliber, for instance 5.56 mm NATO, available for use by the general public, a fully automatic weapon of the same caliber for use by law enforcement and the military and a fully automatic weapon, but belt fed instead of by a magazine, for use solely by the military. An example of such manufacturer is Heckler & Koch™, which offers the HK93, a semi-automatic assault rifle, the HK53, a fully automatic submachine gun and the HK33, a belt feed submachine gun. All three of these weapons utilize the same caliber bullet, namely 5.56 mm NATO, have the same receiver, but utilize different lowers. The different configured lowers dictate at what rate of fire the weapon can shoot and the type of magazine, drum or belt that attaches thereto. However, the receiver for each gun is the same. Accordingly, one particular scope mount can attach to all three guns. The above exampled manufacturer even may use receivers for other guns that have similar features, allowing the same scope mount to attach thereto, even though the caliber of bullet may be different, for example a 9 mm round.
It is unlikely that a scope mount for the above mentioned manufacturer that attaches to these specific guns will attach to any other gun. Hence, the lack of any universal scope mount existing in the prior art. Instead, what is common in the art is that specific scope mounts are designed, manufactured and offered for specific guns or a specific manufacturer.
Scope mounts of the prior art, regardless of their intended mount, have deficiencies that need to be overcome. The most common difficultly relates to the height of the scope mount. It is first understood that the center of gravity, the compactness of the gun and its ability to be used in confined spaces are all factors leading to their use and purchase and ultimately their functionality. Nowhere is this more important than in the military arena.
Most modern wars are fought in the very confined spaces of an urban environment, otherwise known as street to street. However, the need for telescopes still exists and is, in fact, on the rise due to the effective range and accuracy of modern weapons. Even though a soldier may be fighting in a street battle, he may be required to eliminate a target at a great distance. The scope assists the soldier in making these long distance shots. Further, the soldier desires to eliminate his target while minimizing civilian causalities. This is done by firing the least amount of rounds possible to affect target elimination but reduce stray fire. Accordingly, the soldier again needs a scope to accurately fire as few rounds as possible.
Further, a soldier does not want to make himself visible or give his position away (especially in case of a sniper), nor does he want to make his gun bulky or awkward to handle. Therefore, a need exists for the scope to be mounted in a manner which does not render the gun awkward, bulky or which significantly changes the center of gravity of the weapon affecting his ability to shoot accurately. This need can be fulfilled by choosing a scope mount that will not introduce these deficiencies into his weapon system. Accordingly, he does not want a scope mount that has a high profile, a very typical problem in the prior art. Nowhere is this greater a problem than with scope mounts that are known for use with Heckler and Koch™ rifles, submachine guns and machine guns, and in particular, the HK31, 33, 51, 53, 91, 93, 94, the MP5 and the G3.
Scope mounts of the prior art used with the aforementioned guns are made from a large and high profile metal frame. An example of such a mount is that which is manufactured by the A.R.M.S.™ company. This device employs a tall framework of legs that clamp to side flanges of the gun by use of a pressure spring and handle mechanism. It is intended to be a quick release device wherein precise accuracy is not a factor (clearly not suitable for a sniper). It is understood that the constant removal and reattachment of the scope mount changes the accuracy of the telescope it supports. Accordingly, this device is useful to enthusiasts who have the leisure time to slowly unpack their weapon at a firing range and attach their scope and methodically practice their aim on a paper target until they zero their scope “back-in”. These high profile devices are not likely to adversely affect shooters whose every shot may be the difference in life and death (as with a soldier). High profile devices greatly alter the center of gravity of the weapon and make the weapon more awkward to handle due to the displacing of the weight of the scope to an exaggerated height above the receiver of the weapon. Further, these prior art high profile devices interfere with the OEM sighting device on the gun. Accordingly, if a shooter wishes to use the OEM sighting mechanism of the gun, he must remove the mount along with the telescope. Removing just the scope leaves the mount behind which blocks the OEM gun sight.
However, these high profile mount devices do allow a shooter to quickly remove the scope in its entirety and return the gun to its natural, stripped-down state, a condition that many leisurely users find enticing. However, soldiers preparing for battle or a sniper headed out on a multi-day mission are not concerned with quickly mounting their scopes. Instead, they are concerned with accuracy of each and every shot. Further, soldiers are not concerned with the looks of a weapon system, but instead its functionality. And the high profile, quick releasable scope mounts lack the functional ability that the soldier needs. Soldiers require that their weapon system have a low profile and have a weighted balance that makes the weapon comfortable to hold and be generally easy to handle in a fire fight. This dictates a need for a low profile telescope mount. And nowhere is this more important than on Heckler & Koch™ weapon models HK31, 33, 51, 53, 91, 93, 94, the MP5 and the G3.